


Vines Twining Together

by Farashe



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:53:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23931880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Farashe/pseuds/Farashe
Summary: Iris and Chrom discuss nature vs. nurture as Iris reflects on her own identity.
Relationships: Chrom & My Unit | Reflet | Robin
Kudos: 4





	Vines Twining Together

Outside the tent, torrential rain poured down, effectively halting the Shepherd’s march for the day.

Iris was ostensibly trying to read, but Chrom knew her well enough by now to see that her thoughts were elsewhere.

“Troubled thoughts?” he asked.

Iris jumped, startled by his voice. She took a breath then smiled slightly at him. “Not troubled so much, but… well, do you think that people are born good or evil? Or is it circumstance?”

“Hmmm, according to my philosophy tutor, that’s a question that’s been argued for as long as there have been people in the world. No one has been able to answer it definitively though.”

She frowned as if disappointed in his answer. “But what do you think, Chrom?”

That startled him. He felt so unqualified to give an opinion on something like this. How to swing a sword, sure. But abstract thoughts on the nature of humankind? Not something he could be trusted with.

He looked back at her, and he saw that she did trust him though. His opinion mattered to her. Well, he’d just have to do his best then.

“I think people mostly have something of light and darkness in them, and that their circumstances can feed one or the other.” His brow furrowed as he concentrated on putting scrambled thoughts to words. “It’s like we’re vines, and we can either be grown in darkness so that we become twisted and thorny and choke out the life around us or we flourish in light and produce beautiful flowers.”

Iris looked back at him now more intensely. “So it’s all circumstance then? We have no choice but to follow how we’ve been nurtured?”

“No! That’s not it either…” Was this personal for her somehow? “I think that even in the darkest time, we have the ability to reach for the light. It’s just harder to do if all you’ve known is darkness. It takes more strength.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “Is something wrong, Iris? Why the heavy questions?”

“It’s just… it’s me.” She sighed, and her eyes looked sad and lost. “I have no memory of who I was. So how do I know if I’m good? Maybe I was bred in darkness, and that darkness will eventually overcome me. I feel like that sometimes.”

“Never.” Chrom reached for her hand. “Never, Iris. Don’t doubt yourself. No matter what, light or darkness, you are the best person I know. The vine of your life sprang from a seed of diamond, clear and strong. That’s who you are.”

She looked into his eyes, and he could see tears forming. Suddenly, she threw her arms around him. “I’m not sure I believe that, but I’m glad you do. And I will strive to live up to it.”

“I’m sure of it,” he whispered back. “And I’ll be here for you to help you through your doubts. We’re a team.”

“Vines twining together?”

“Exactly.”


End file.
